Decision paralysis hitting hard

[Peevee]

I don’t even know where to start. I want something along the lines of the medium buck stroker. I would love a golden engine but I’m not spending $8k. S&j is a bit more reasonable at 4k. The Clegg stage 2 or 5.0 might be a decent option at 1200 or something dollars but then still need a cam and more. Ross is kind of in the middle at 2700 or something dollars but I’d still need head work or a new head. Seems like the s&j is a decent value to cost ratio. The machine shouldn’t give me much of an estimate but I figure about $1200 for mahh ch one work and assembling the short block

Idk what to do

[Cheromaniac]

Strokers are certainly a lot more expensive to build or buy nowadays to the point where it has become more cost effective to do an LS swap instead.

[amcinstaller]

Strokers are certainly a lot more expensive to build or buy nowadays to the point where it has become more cost effective to do an LS swap instead.

Sadly I agree. It's almost refreshing to see someone else say it

[Peevee]

Strokers are certainly a lot more expensive to build or buy nowadays to the point where it has become more cost effective to do an LS swap instead.

I’m not certain I agree. I haven’t taken a deep dive into it but let’s say for the sake of argument I buy a complete vortec 5.3 for 1500. Advance wants about 2200 for the mounts and cooling system for an ax15. I’d need (want) a standalone harness for the v8 so there’s another $800 ish. I have ac so I need to figure out the lines and compressor mounting on the v8 and getting to those lines is a pain in the ass. I live in an emissions state so now I have to duck with emissions and they want to see all the original emissions equipment in the swapped engine. I have to take it to the epa and leave it for inspection and they take forever. I’d have to have an exhaust made that probably runs me another $1500

The stroker I figure 1200 ish at the machine shop. $2700 for the short block parts. Idk maybe another 800 for misc stuff like a new oil pan and gaskets and timing cover or whatever else I don’t want to salvage off the old engine. Say 800 for the head work.

It seems about a wash financially but a lot less headache for the stroker, with a fair bit less horsepower

Have done ls swaps in other vehicles and they’ve never turned out as cool as I wanted

I guess I could really cheap out and just buy a titan. We’re t those like $2200 a few years ago or am I misremembering?

[amcinstaller]

This feels sacrilegious, but here we go lol:

The thing of LS swap is the aftermarket is vast but for stroker it is limited, and parts are only getting more difficult to find. That said, I am towards the tail end of my (insanely long) stroker build. Back in the day, guys were pulling injectors, intakes, core engines, you name it from junkyards.
Fast forward to today, I'm having trouble sourcing a pcm to get my build over the finish line. My sct x3 was one of the last few available to me on summit, and pro racer advantage needs software level AB to tune, my pcm is AA and no DCX dealer around me support this hardware anymore. HP Tuners stopped supporting this model (97 grand cherokee) after the mpvi 2+, so your tune options for a big cam build are limited, especially if you're building a jeep born jeep.
Kit selection is way better now tho, I will admit that, and the pistons are way nicer. Some guys (russ, used to be flyin ryan) even get you a more or less bolt in kit that requires little tuning. If you're north of the border (like me), shipping is a killer.

All of this said, I still enjoy the idea of my stroker and I'll see it to the end. I sourced a pcm (finally) I think I can tune, and it's neat to see something that isn't an LS or coyote under my hood. If I would have finished this build years ago when I started it (took a 15 yr break to have a family), I would have a much different outlook. At this point between jeep parts being tough to find, AMC parts being near impossible to find, I have "my build is unique" fatigue lol

Also titan builds were cheap but they had a real bad run of blowing up and being straight dog water

[Peevee]

Valid points.

I had an 88 or so xj and then A 2000 xj maybe 15 years ago. Back then naxja was actually active and some folks had strokers. I remember a fellow south of me had one that didn’t last (nice fellow. Taught me to do ball joints) at the time I bought a 258 crank and had a used block I was going to build and never did. Then I didn’t have jeeps for awhile, now I have the yj and it’s tired. If I’m going to spend the money I may as well upgrade. I just replaced a rusted out freeze plug so the rest are sure to follow. I definitely notice the lack of information and interest in the 4.6. Even around here it’s pretty quiet, it seems

My main trepidation is probably the same as everyone else. I can:

Spend medium bucks diy with Russ and hope the machine shop builds it right. I’ve not built an engine. I’ve done cams and heads and almost everything else in the ls series. Superchargers (centrifugal and roots) but not a scratch build so I’m relying on someone that’s built hopefully thousands of engines

Spend big bucks with golen

Spend about the same as a diy with s&j

S&j only claims something like 220 hp. I haven’t talked to them about the comp cams cam they offer, but 220 hp hardly seems worth it. I question the seat of the pants opinions on hp. How much of it is the striker and how much is replacing a tired engine with a fresh? Idk. The claims of 270 hp seem unrealistic? Maybe I’m off base.

Maybe the ls is the way to go. Idk. It’s a lot of work and I’m getting older. Also I sold my welder. lol

[Cheromaniac]

Strokers are certainly a lot more expensive to build or buy nowadays to the point where it has become more cost effective to do an LS swap instead.

Sadly I agree. It's almost refreshing to see someone else say it

Another alternative is a 5.7, 6.4 Hemi or, dare I say it, Hellcat swap. At least then the engine would be from the same family.
The landscape has completely changed since I built my budget stroker 21 years ago.